Process for producing refined avacado oil rich in triglycerides, and oil obtainable by said process

ABSTRACT

The present invention concerns a process for producing refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides. The invention also pertains to refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides obtainable by said process. Advantageously, the refined avocado oil of the invention contains a sterols-enriched unsaponifiable fraction. Advantageously, the refined avocado oil of the invention is substantially free of acetogenins and furanic lipids. The invention also concerns compositions containing said oil. The invention also pertains to such compositions for use as a medication, as a dermatological agent, as a cosmetic agent, or as a nutriceutical, for human or animal use.

The present invention relates to a process for producing refined avocadooil which is rich in triglycerides. The invention also relates torefined avocado oil rich in triglycerides obtainable by said process.Advantageously, the refined avocado oil of the invention contains anunsaponifiable fraction which is concentrated in sterols.Advantageously, the refined avocado oil of the invention issubstantially free of acetogenins and furanic lipids. The invention alsorelates to compositions containing said oil. The invention also relatesto such compositions for use as a medication, as a dermatological agent,as a cosmetic agent, or as a nutriceutical, for human or animal use.

Avocados, which originate from Mexico, were brought to Europe by theSpanish Conquistadors. The fruit has become a very popular food.Avocados are rich in oil, since the lipids represent between 10% and 20%of the fresh fruit. The high fat content is one of the characteristicsof the fruit. The oil, which has a fatty acid profile which very closelyresembles that of olive oil, has been used for many years in cosmeticand pharmaceutical applications. Further, because of its nutritionalproperties, its importance as a food grade oil or food supplement hasgrown in recent years, and global production is constantly increasing.

Unrefined or virgin avocado oil is generally extracted by a processknown as cold pressing, which consists of mixing and macerating freshfruit in water followed by separating three phases: solid, oily andaqueous, in a centrifugal decanter. A final phase of polishing bycentrifugal clarification produces perfectly clear oil. Other processessuch as cold pressing with the addition of solid adjuvants, orsupercritical extraction, can produce virgin avocado oil.

Refined avocado oil may be obtained from virgin avocado oil or unrefinedavocado oil using conventional refining processes such as thosegenerally carried out to produce conventional salad oil, for examplesunflower oil, soya oil, or rapeseed oil. Said refining comprises thefollowing operations:

demucilagination (mucilage removal);

neutralization;

decolorizing;

winterizing;

deodorization.

Avocado oil can also be obtained from dried avocados. Heat treatingavocados can reduce the residual moisture in the fruit to below 10%,rendering extraction of the oil possible using an organic solvent ormechanical pressure.

However, such extraction processes, which include heating the avocadoand solvent extraction or mechanical pressure extraction, modify thecomposition of the extracted oil. When heating avocado, chemicalreactions release compounds which are partially transformed andextracted with the oil. Said compounds are unstable and are notcompletely eliminated by conventional refining processes. Theinstability of such compounds renders their elimination difficult duringrefining without running the risk of transformation into problematicalmolecules.

Further, such processes cannot be used to prepare refined avocado oilsguaranteeing complete harmlessness for food or nutriceutical use.Studies have shown that the unrefined oil obtained from dried avocadosincluding the stone contained compounds which may be toxic: M. J.Werman, S. Mokady, I. Néeman, L. Auslaender, A. Zeidler, Food and Chem.Toxicol 1989, 27, 279. A number of specific constituents of the avocadosuch as acetogenins, which are toxic compounds, which have been detectedin avocado fruits and leaves, have been discovered in avocado oilextracted and refined using prior art processes.

Hence, when conventional refining processes including demucilagination,neutralizing, decolorizing, winterizing and deodorization are carriedout, the various treatments are not sufficiently effective to guaranteethat unstable compounds are completely eliminated or that they do notdegrade into secondary derivatives.

The low stability of certain constituents of the avocado and the risksrelated to their potential toxicity mean that the fate of saidconstituents during the various steps of the process to produce a foodquality oil must be known. As a result, there exists a need to develop anovel process which can obtain refined avocado oil that does not havethe disadvantages of the prior art and that allows completely safe oilfrom dried avocados to be sold.

The present invention satisfies this need. The Applicant has thusdiscovered a novel process for producing refined avocado oil, which isvery simple to implement, comprising a combination of various operationswhich can accurately control and monitor the evolution andtransformation of various specific constituents of the avocado. Theprocess of the present invention can substantially remove the specificimpurities of avocado and guarantee that it is harmless. Hence, dryingfruit before extracting oil, and carrying out a step of fractioning theoil, advantageously by molecular distillation, can substantially freesubstances of avocados which are potentially toxic, such as acetogenins,also known as “persin”, and degradation products with a furanicstructure that are responsible for bitterness, in particular furaniclipids.

Advantageously, in the present invention, the molecular distillationstep, which is Judiciously interposed between drying the fruit andrefining the oil, can eliminate undesirable and unstable compounds. Theprocess of the invention, including a molecular distillation stepupstream of the refining step, results in the preparation of a fractionwhich is enriched in triglycerides and substantially free of anycompound that runs the risk of toxicity or that may result in theformation of derivatives responsible for bitterness in the refined oil.

Further, the process of the present invention can produce high yields ofa refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides, containing anunsaponifiable fraction which is enriched in sterols. The oil obtainedby said process, or obtainable by said process, may thus advantageouslybe incorporated into cosmetic, dermatological, or pharmaceuticalcompositions, or into food compositions, food supplements, ornutriceuticals, for human or animal use. The oil of the presentinvention also has the advantage of being perfectly clean and clear andthus may readily be incorporated into various types of compositions.

Furthermore, the refined avocado oil obtained using the process of theinvention or obtainable by said process is rich in mono-unsaturatedfatty acids which are particularly advantageous because they are knownto reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood. The oil of the invention is thusparticularly suitable for reducing cardiovascular health problems. Therefined avocado oil of the invention, which is rich in triglycerides,guarantees it better stability because of its low mono- and diglyceridecontent.

The present invention thus provides a process for producing refinedavocado oil rich in triglycerides, characterized in that it comprisesthe following steps:

1) dehydrating fresh avocados or avocados which have undergone priortransformations, in controlled manner, advantageously carried out at atemperature in the range −50° C. to 120° C., in particular in the range−50° C. to 90° C.;

2) extracting oil from the dehydrated fruit;

3) fractioning the oil into its fraction rich in triglycerides; then

4) refining the oil fraction rich in triglycerides.

The refined avocado oil advantageously contains an unsaponifiablefraction which is rich in sterols.

The term “refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides” as used in thepresent invention means a refined avocado oil containing at least 80% byweight of triglycerides, advantageously at least 90% by weight oftriglycerides, more advantageously 95% to 99% by weight of triglyceridesrelative to the total weight of the refined avocado oil.

Particularly advantageously in the present invention, the refinedavocado oil contains no more than 1% by weight of monoglycerides,preferably no more than 0.1% by weight of monoglycerides relative to thetotal weight of the refined avocado oil. Advantageously, the amount ofdiglycerides present in the oil of the present invention is in the range1% to 5% by weight, preferably in the range 1.5% to 3% by weight.

The term “avocado which has undergone prior transformations” means theco-products derived from processes for extracting fresh avocado oil, inparticular those derived from centrifuging processes. Examples of“avocado which has undergone prior transformations” which may bementioned are i) avocado milk obtained by pressing pulp, or ii) productsfrom flushing partially de-oiled pulp by centrifuging, by-productsgenerally present at the outlet from centrifuge sieves, or the residuesfrom centrifuges produced during separation.

Other sources of avocado which fall within the scope of the term“avocado which has undergone prior transformations” may also bementioned: avocado press cake, co-produced during cold pressing of thefruit (fresh or dried) or liquid-solid extraction of avocado oil fromfresh or dried fruit using an organic solvent, or the by-products ofpreparing avocado-based food of the guacamole type, may also constitutean alternative starting material for use in the context of the presentinvention.

Advantageously, in the present invention, prior to the dehydrating step1), the freshly harvested avocado fruits undergo a grading step toeliminate fruit which is too ripe, damaged, or is marked. The avocadosused are then sliced and are preferably divided into layers which are asregular and as thin as possible, to facilitate rapid, homogeneous dryingand/or dehydration.

More generally, the dehydration carried out in step 1) of the processmeans the techniques known to the skilled person for extracting waterfrom a compound. Techniques which may be mentioned are drying in astream of hot air or a controlled atmosphere (for example nitrogen),atmospheric pressure or vacuum drying, thin or thick layer drying, aswell as microwave drying, spray drying, freeze drying, or osmoticdehydration in solution (for example direct osmosis) or in the solidphase (for example drying in osmotic bags).

In a particular implementation of the present invention, the dehydrationstep 1) consists in drying the sliced fruit, preferably in a hot airdrier at a temperature in the range 70° C. to 90° C., in particular inthe range 75° C. to 80° C. The drying period is advantageously in therange 8 hours (h) to 36 h, preferably until a residual level of moisturein the fruit is 5% or less at the outlet from the drier.

In the context of the present process, to facilitate industrialapplication and for cost reasons, drying in ventilated driers, in a thinlayer and in a stream of hot air at a temperature in the range 70° C. to80° C. for 8 h to 36 h is preferred.

When the dehydration step 1) is carried out by drying at a temperatureabove ambient temperature, said heat treatment of the avocado, carriedout under well-defined conditions, can encourage the moleculartransformation of specific compounds of the avocado and can optimize thetransformation yield, while avoiding the synthesis of degradationproducts due to heat or oxidation.

The extraction step 2) may be carried out using any means known to theskilled person, preferably by simple cold pressing or using a solvent atlow temperature. Mechanical pressing of the dehydrated fruit canguarantee the quality of the oil and its unsaponifiable constituents,and can result in a high degree of recovery of the oil without using anorganic substance such as a solvent.

In a particular implementation of the present invention, the sheets ofdehydrated avocados, preferably dehydrated by drying, are ground using amechanical grinder. The powder obtained is then supplied via apre-digester to a continuous screw mechanical press. The oil produced bymechanical pressure is decanted then filtered through a filter press.

The fractioning step 3) may be carried out using any means known to theskilled person, and advantageously consists in cold crystallization,vacuum distillation, or molecular distillation. Said fractioning stepcan separate a fraction that is rich in unsaponifiables from a heavyfraction that is rich in triglycerides. Typically, theunsaponifiable-rich fraction represents 8% to 15% by weight of theunrefined oil and the fraction rich in triglycerides represents 85% to92% by weight of the unrefined oil.

The unsaponifiable fraction is the fraction of a fat which, afterprolonged action of an alkaline base, remains insoluble in water and maybe extracted with an organic solvent. Five major groups of substancesare present in the majority of unsaponifiables from vegetable oils:saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons, aliphatic or terpenic alcohols,sterols, tocopherols, and carotenoid and xanthophyllic pigments.

The unsaponifiable-rich fraction generally contains 30% to 80% by weightof unsaponifiables. The fraction rich in triglycerides generallycontains at least 80% by weight, advantageously at least 90% by weight,in particular 95% to 99% by weight of triglycerides. The fraction richin triglycerides itself also contains unsaponifiables, in general 0.5%to 1.5% by weight relative to the total weight of the fraction rich intriglycerides. These unsaponifiables are concentrated into sterols.

The fractioning step 3), advantageously carried out by moleculardistillation, can substantially remove specific compounds of theavocado, such as potentially toxic acetogenins and their transformationor degradation compounds, in particular furanic lipids responsible forbitterness.

Said step 3) can also isolate, without thermal degradation, theconcentrated fraction of unsaponifiables and the concentrated fractionof triglycerides. Further, it can greatly reduce the fatty acid contentof the fraction rich in triglycerides, facilitating the subsequentrefining step such as neutralization, and limiting product loss.

An additional advantage of the fractioning step 3), preferably carriedout by molecular distillation, consists in its ability to fractionateconstituents of the unsaponifiable compounds. During the distillationstep, sterols, present in the form of fatty acid esters, in contrast tonon esterified sterols and to all of the other constituents of theunsaponifiables, do not have a low enough boiling point fordistillation. The esterified sterol compounds are thus concentrated inthe portion of unsaponifiables contained in the heavy fraction of theavocado oil which Is rich in triglycerides. Sterols in the form ofsterol esters thus form the majority of the compounds in theunsaponifiables following the oil fractioning step.

In accordance with a particular feature of the present invention, thefractioning step 3) is carried out by molecular distillation, allowingpractically integral separation of the compounds in the unsaponifiablefraction, de-acidification of the triglyceride fraction, and enrichmentof the unsaponifiables portion of the triglyceride fraction in sterolesters.

Advantageously, in accordance with the present invention, the unrefinedoil from the extraction step 2) is pumped to a continuous degasser priorto the fractioning step 3). The continuous degasser is a falling filmapparatus which, prior to distillation, can eliminate any traces ofwater and dissolved gas.

In accordance with a particular feature of the present invention, thefractioning step 3) is molecular distillation, which may be carried outat a temperature in the range 180° C. to 260° C., advantageously in therange 200° C. to 250° C., more advantageously in the range 220° C. to230° C., maintaining the pressure in the range 10⁻³ mmHg (millimeters ofmercury) to 10⁻¹ mmHg, advantageously in the range 10⁻³ mmHg to 10⁻²mmHg.

This molecular distillation step is preferably carried out using adevice selected from centrifuge type molecular distillers and wiped filmtype molecular distillers.

Centrifuge type molecular distillers are known to the skilled person. Asan example, European patent application EP-A-0 493 144 describes amolecular distiller of that type. In general, a thin layer of thesubstance to be distilled is distributed on the heated surface (hotsurface) of a conical rotor which rotates at high speed. Thedistillation chamber is placed under vacuum. Under those conditions, theconstituents of the oil such as the unsaponifiables evaporate fromrather than boil off the hot surface, the advantage being that the oiland its constituents, in particular the unsaponifiables (which are knownto be fragile) are not degraded during evaporation.

Wiped film type molecular distillers, also known to the skilled person,comprise a distillation chamber provided with a rotating wiper, whichallows substance for distilling to be distributed continuously on theevaporation surface (hot surface). The product vapors are condensed by acold finger placed in the center of the distillation chamber. Theperipheral supply and vacuum systems are very close to those of acentrifugal distiller (supply pumps, slide vane rotary vacuum pumps, andoil diffusion pumps, etc). The residues and distillates are recovered inglass flasks by gravitational flow.

At the end of the fractioning step 3), the distilled fraction that isrich in unsaponifiables generally represents 5% to 15% by weight of thestarting oil, and the distilled fraction that is rich in triglyceridesgenerally represents 85% to 95% by weight of the starting oil.

The fraction rich in triglycerides is then purified by refining.

The refining step 4) advantageously comprises at least one of thefollowing operations: acid treatment, chemical neutralization,decolorization, winterizing, and deodorization. Said refining step canpurify the heavy glyceride fraction to obtain a refined avocado oilcontaining an unsaponifiable fraction that is rich in sterols, which canbe used for cosmetic, pharmaceutical, food, or nutriceuticalapplications, for human or animal use.

Particularly advantageously, the refining step 4) comprises thefollowing set of operations: acid treatment, chemical neutralization,decolorization, winterizing, and deodorization.

Acid treatment is preferably acid conditioning, allowingdemucilagination and elimination of phospholipids. The acid treatment istypically carried out using a weak acid, such as phosphoric acid orcitric acid, or using a strong acid such as sulfuric acid orhydrochloric acid. Generally, the acid treatment is carried out withstirring, at a temperature in the range 30° C. to 70° C., typicallyabout 50° C. to 60° C.

Other processes may be preferred, such as microfiltration, which is alow-pressure membrane process used to filter colloids, or processesusing biotechnology, such as enzymatic demucilagination.

Chemical neutralization, which typically follows the acid treatment, caneliminate free fatty acids, to free the oil of phospholipids which haveundergone the conditioning operation, to eliminate trace metals, and tofacilitate decolorization by destroying some pigments and coloredcompounds of oxidative origin. Chemical neutralization is typicallycarried out using a basic agent such as sodium hydroxide, potassiumcarbonate, or a tertiary amine (DMHA). The fatty acids are separated, bycentrifuging or filtering, in the form of soaps which also containmucilages and various impurities eliminated during said treatment.

Advantageously, in the present invention, washing is carried outfollowing the chemical neutralization operation, preferably with water.Preferably, the reaction medium is then dried, generally under vacuum athigh temperature, for example at 90° C.

Decolorization, which typically follows chemical neutralization, can ingeneral eliminate the colored pigments which neutralization has onlyvery partially destroyed. Decolorization is typically carried out usingdecolorizing earths and/or charcoal, advantageously until the avocadooil has a clear or very clear color.

The decolorizing earths used are typically natural clays of themontmorillonite type, principally constituted by calcium and magnesiumaluminosilicates, activated by acid treatment. The activated charcoalused may be obtained from peat, wood, lignite, coal, or coconut husks.Said products are typically activated at high temperature, either usingsteam or a chemical process.

The winterizing step, which typically follows decolorization, may becarried out at a temperature in the range 5° C. to 18° C.,advantageously for 1 day (d) to 15 d. Typically, the refined avocado oilis steadily cooled, preferably with gentle stirring, to a temperature ofthe order of 10° C. to 12° C. Generally, the oil is then maintained atthis temperature for 48 h, then is filtered under pressure. Winterizingcan precipitate triglycerides which are rich in saturated fatty acids.This step is particularly advantageous since it can produce a clean andclear refined avocado oil which does not go cloudy at low temperature,thus guaranteeing a homogeneous appearance regardless of storageconditions.

Deodorization, which typically follows winterizing, can in generaleliminate and extract volatile compounds and malodorous molecules.Decolorization is typically carried out at a temperature in the range150° C. to 210° C., advantageously under vacuum, generally in a streamof saturated steam or nitrogen. Decolorization may, for example, becarried out at a pressure in the range 2 mmHg to 20 mmHg. In particular,decolorizing may be carried out at a temperature of the order of 180° C.to 200° C., at a pressure of the order of 4 mmHg to 6 mmHg. Thepercentage of vapor injected generally represents 0.5% to 4% of thetreated oil. The injection time may be in the range 2 h to 6 h. Afterdrying and cooling, the refined avocado oil is then advantageouslypackaged under inert gas, away from light and moisture.

The present invention also provides a refined avocado oil that is richin triglycerides, which may be obtained by the process of the presentinvention. Advantageously, said oil contains an unsaponifiable fractionthat is rich in sterols.

In accordance with a particular characteristic of the present invention,said unsaponifiable fraction contains at least 40% by weight of sterols,advantageously between 45% and 70% by weight of sterols, relative to thetotal weight of unsaponifiables.

Particularly advantageously, the oil of the present invention issubstantially free of acetogenins (persin) or furanic lipids.

The term “substantially free of acetogenins or furanic lipids” as usedin the context of the present invention means an oil which does notcontain a quantifiable amount of acetogenins or furanic lipids.

Advantageously, said fraction does not contain a quantifiable amount ofpersin or furanic lipids. Obtaining an oil that is substantially free ofacetogenins is particularly advantageous, since acetogenins arepotentially toxic, thermally unstable compounds. Under the effect ofheat, said compounds result in the formation of furanic lipids which areresponsible for bitterness in the oil.

In a particular implementation, the refined avocado oil rich intriglycerides of the present invention contains at most 300 parts permillion (ppm) of acetogenins and/or at most 2000 ppm of furanic lipids.

Advantageously, the refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides of thepresent invention contains at most 100 ppm of acetogenins and at most500 ppm of furanic lipids relative to the total weight of the oil.

As is known, the avocado includes particular lipids of the aliphaticacetogenin type, the principal component of which is a linoleicacetogenin with formula:

Said compounds are also commonly known under the generic name of persin.Thus, the term “aliphatic acetogenins”, as used in the invention, meanscomponents with the following formula:

in which R is a linear C₁₁-C₁₉ hydrocarbon, preferably C₁₃-C₁₇, which issaturated or comprises one or more ethylenically or acetylenicallyunsaturated bonds.

The term “furanic lipids of avocado” as used in the present inventionmeans components with the following formula:

in which R is a linear C₁₁-C₁₉ hydrocarbon, preferably C₁₃-C₁₇, which issaturated or comprises one or more ethylenically or acetylenicallyunsaturated bonds.

Advantageously, the unsaponifiable fraction of the oil of the inventionis rich in sterols and the oil may thus be used to reduce cholesterollevels in the blood.

This oil also has a high mono-unsaturated fatty acid content. Oleic acidrepresents close to ⅔ of the fatty acids of the avocado. Thus, the oilof the invention is advantageously used in preventing cardiovasculardiseases.

Further, the high triglycerides content of the oil and its low partial(mono and di) glycerides content demonstrates that the oil is very pureand guarantees a low degree of hydrolysis and good stability.

The present invention also provides a composition containing saidrefined avocado oil rich in triglycerides. Advantageously, said oil ispresent in a concentration in the range 5% to 95% by weight,advantageously in the range 10% to 40% by weight relative to the totalcomposition weight.

Particularly advantageously, the compositions of the present inventionfurther comprise at least one compound selected from vegetable oils,vegetable oil unsaponifiables, furanic vegetable oil lipids and mixturesthereof.

Particular vegetable oils which may be mentioned are sunflower oil, palmoil, palm-nut oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, black mustard oil,poppy-seed oil, shea butter oil, sweet almond oil, soya oil, avocadooil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, sesame seed oil, olive oil, corn oil,cacao oil, castor oil, Ben oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, annatto oil,wheatgerm oil, safflower oil, lupin oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil andcolza oil. Vegetable oils, the unsaponifiable fraction of which is richin tocopherols and/or phytosterols, are particularly preferred. This isthe case, for example, with soya, corn, rapeseed, or sunflower seed oil.

Advantageously, the compositions contain a refined avocado oil rich intriglycerides of the present invention in combination with avocado oilfrom fresh fruit.

The compositions of the present invention may also include oils ofanimal origin or purified compounds rich in omega-3 (eicosapentanoicacid, docohexanoic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, etc), such as fish oil orlinseed oil.

The compositions of the present invention may also include omega-6compounds such as gamma-linolenic acid. In this regard, the compositionsof the present invention may contain borage oil, cassis oil, or onageroil (for example 200 mg/d (milligrams/day) to 500 mg/d).

The compositions of the present invention may also include at least onecompound selected from: perna calaliculus, yucca, boswellia, aminoacids, synthetic and plant peptides, animal and vegetable proteins,bromelain, and yeasts.

The compositions of the present invention may also include natural orsynthesized PPAR agonists. Said natural or synthesized PPAR agonists areadvantageously selected from: natural ligands, in particularleucotrienes, 8S-HETE, phytanic acid, unsaturated and saturated fattyacids, prostaglandin, (15d-PGJ2), 9-HODE, 13-HODE; synthesized ligands,in particular all of the compounds in the fibrate family (for examplefenofibrate), tibrates, anti-inflammatories such as indomethacin,flufenamic acid, ibuprofen and fenoprofen, and glitazones includingthiazolidinediones (troglitazone, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone anddarglitazone), and mixtures thereof.

Vegetable oil unsaponifiables which may be incorporated into thecompositions of the invention are preferably selected from the groupconstituted by avocado oil unsaponifiables, soya oil unsaponifiables,and mixtures thereof.

An example in accordance with the present invention which may bementioned is a composition containing about 17% by weight of refinedavocado oil rich in triglycerides of the present invention, about 33% byweight of soya oil unsaponifiables and about 50% by weight of acommercially available refined soya oil. This composition may alsocontain excipients. This composition is advantageously in the form of a300 mg (milligram) to 5 g (gram) capsule.

Particularly advantageously, the composition of the present inventioncontains refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides of the presentinvention and unsaponifiables such as soya oil. As an example, thecomposition contains about 33% by weight of the refined avocado oil richin triglycerides of the present invention, and about 67% by weight ofsoya oil unsaponifiables, optionally with excipients. This compositionis advantageously in the form of a 300 mg to 5 g capsule.

The compositions of the invention are advantageously used in the form ofa palatable tablet for animals or in the form of a food quality gel forhorses.

The constituents of the vegetable oil unsaponifiables in theconcentrated or purified form may be incorporated into the compositionsof the invention and are preferably selected from the group constitutedby phytosterols and phytosterol esters, tocopherols and tocopherolesters, tocotrienols and tocotrienol esters, squalene, avocado fractionI (avocado 1,2,4-trihydroxyaliphatic alcohols), triterpenic alcohols andtriterpenic alcohol esters, stanols and stanol esters, aliphaticalcohols and aliphatic alcohol esters, and mixtures thereof.

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundssuch as Docteur Théo's product Avosoy, containing a mixture of fattyacids, unsaponifiables (squalene, tocopherols, sterols), and sterols.

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundssuch as the Avoflex product from Cyvex, containing a mixture of fattyacids, unsaponifiables (squalene, tocopherols, sterols), and sterols.

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundssuch as the Vegeflex and Prevention products from Windmill, containing amixture of fatty acids, unsaponifiables, tocopherols and sterols,advantageously in combination with glucosamine.

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundssuch as the Avosol product from A/S Anjo, containing unsaponifiables inparticular.

In a particular implementation of the present invention, thecompositions also include at least one compound selected from: aminosugars such as glucosamine; glucosamine salts such as glucosaminehydrochloride (for example 1500 to 2000 mg/d), glucosamine sulfate,glucosamine phosphate and N-acetyl glucosamine; glycosaminoglycanes(GAG) such as chondroitin sulfate (for example 800 to 1200 mg/d);glycosaminoglycane analogues such as polysulfated glycosaminoglycanes,or glycosaminoglycane precursors such as hyaluronic acid, glucuronicacid, iduronic acid, keratan sulfate, heparan sulfate, or dermatinsulfate; pentosan or its derivatives, in particular pentosan sulfate,pentosan polysulfate (PPS) and pentosan polysulfate polysaccharides;S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe); adenosine; superoxide dismutase (SOD);L-ergothionine; hydrolyzed or non hydrolyzed type II collagens; collagenhydrolysates such as gelatin; diacerin; arachadonic acid; tetracycline;tetracycline analogues; doxycycline; hydroxyproline; and mixturesthereof.

Advantageously, the compositions of the present invention include, incombination, a plurality of the compounds mentioned above. Particularlypreferred compounds are giucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, alone or incombination.

In a particular implementation of the present invention, thecompositions further comprise at least one compound selected fromextracts of celery, green mussel, sea cucumber, or ovine, bovine,caprine, or marine (shark) cartilage, extracts from conventional keratinor keratec (cynatine FLX), adenosinemethionine sulfate, hyaluronic acidof all molecular weights, vitamins A (5000 IU), vitamins C (up to 1 g),vitamins E (100 IU to 400 IU), selenium (55 mcg (micrograms) to 200mcg), flavonoids and alimentary compounds containing them such as:rutin, phellodendron amurensi extract, curcumin, garlic, lutein,zeaxanthin, lycopene, hesperidine, gingko, OPC (all up to 1 g/d), EPAfrom algae, plankton, krill, or fish (up to 2 g/d), DHA, LA (linoleicacid), or ALA.

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundssuch as growth hormone (somatotrophin), somatomedins, insulinoid growthfactors, as well as analgesics of the acetaminophene or tramadol type,or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or anti-COX2.

The compositions of the present invention may also includeoligo-elements such as boron, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium(for example 55 to 200 mg), silica, zinc, and derivatives thereof.

The compositions of the present invention may also include vitamins (A,C, D, E, K, B3, B5, B6, B12).

The compositions of the present invention may also include compoundscapable of limiting bone degradation and/or encouraging boneremineralization, such as biphosphonates, calcium, beta-blockers,phytoestrogens, raloxifen, or strontium.

The compositions of the present invention may also include plantextracts, in particular bromealin, harpagophytum, ginger, gingko biloba,centellia asiatica, kava-kava, valerian, wild yam, or celery.

The compositions may also include antioxidants such as glutathione,N-acetyl cysteine, MSM (methylsulfonide methane), extracts of tea, inparticular green tea, sulforaphane from broccoli, or aqueous pomegranateextracts.

The compositions of the present invention may also include hormones,such as melatonin or DHEA.

Advantageously, the compositions of the present invention also comprisematrix metalloprotease inhibitors (MMPs) such as lupin peptides.

The term “matrix metalloprotease inhibitors (MMPs)” as used in thepresent invention means any compound which is known to the skilledperson for its ability to inhibit degradation of the extracellularmatrix by MMPs. MMPs constitute a family of enzymes (currently more thantwenty have been identified and characterized), zinc-dependent, with ahighly conserved structure, which have the ability to degrade thecomponents of the extracellular matrix. They are classified intocollagenases, gelatinases, and stromelysin according to the nature oftheir substrate. The MMPs group thus is constituted by four sub-classes:(1) collagenases, (2) gelatinases, (3) stromelysins, and (4) membranetype MMPs (MT-MMPs). The activity of MMPs may be modulated by naturallypresent proteinase inhibitors such as tissue inhibitors ofmetalloproteinase (TIMPs; in particular TIMP-1 and TIMP-2). Inparticular, an active compound is used to inhibit at least one MMPselected from the group constituted by MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9,MMP-7, MMP-13 and MMP-18. The term “MMP inhibitor compound” inparticular means tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs),alpha-2-macroglobulin, plasminogen activator inhibitors, zinc chelaters,bryostatin-1, antibiotics (doxycyclins, minocyclins, etc), synthetic ornatural peptides with a structure similar to the MMP substrates(batimastat, marimastat, etc), retinoids (in particular non aromaticretinoids such as retinaldehyde, tretinoin, 9-cis retinoic acid, vitaminA, monoaromatic retinoids such as etretinate, all-trans acitretine andmotrerinide, and polyaromatic retinoids such as adapalene, tazarotene,tamibarotene and sulfone methyl arotinoid), antioxidants (oxygen radicalscavengers, etc), anti-cancer agents (or anti-metastatics), malthydrolysates such as Colalift sold by Coletica, marine algae extractssuch as Kelpadélie sold by Secma, shark cartilage extracts such as MDIcomplex sold by Atrium, rice peptides such as Colhibin sold byPentapharm, for example, and lupin peptide extracts. More particularly,the MMP inhibitor compound of the present invention is selected from thegroup constituted by lupin peptide extracts or “lupin peptides” such asthose described in French patent application FR-A-99/04 875 filed on 19Apr. 1999 in the name of Laboratoires Expanscience. In particular, thepeptide extract described in FR-A-99/04 875 and designated extract B(LU105) may be mentioned. In a further preferred implementation of theinvention, the compositions of the invention contain the MMP inhibitorselected from the group constituted by retinoids.

The present invention also pertains to said compositions or the refinedavocado oil of the invention for use as a medication, a dermatologicalagent, as a cosmetic agent or as a nutriceutical, for human or animaluse. Said compositions or refined avocado oil of the invention areadvantageously used in veterinary applications.

The refined avocado oil and compositions of the present invention may beadministered to an animal or human being, advantageously by a topical ororal route.

The compositions of the present invention may in particular be in anyappropriate dosage form, in particular in the form of an aqueous orhydroalcoholic lotion, monophase or polyphase, a monophase or polyphasegel, an emulsion, a cream, a vesicular dispersion, a foam, or a spray.

Particularly advantageously, the refined avocado oil or compositions ofthe present invention may also be used in the prevention or treatment ofcardiovascular disease, articular diseases such as arthritis,rheumatism, periodontal diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis,inflammations, or in the prevention or treatment of the degradation ofthe extracellular matrix, in the prevention or treatment of skin ageing,or for gum, cartilage, and skin health.

Because of its fatty acid profile, the refined avocado oil of thepresent invention is very close to that of olive oil. Because of itsaroma, heat resistance and nutritional qualities, avocado oil may beused for cold culinary use (salads, vinaigrettes, mayonnaises, etc) orhot culinary use (cooking oil, frying oil, etc).

The use in combination with flavorings or vegetable extracts can bringout the nutritional qualities of said oil and its originality as regardsculinary preparations.

The refined avocado oil of the present invention has a highmonounsaturated fatty acid content. It is now recognized that a dietrich in monounsaturated fatty acids reduces the overall cholesterollevel and that of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases that of goodcholesterol (HDL). Since the 1950s, more than 600 scientific studieshave shown that a diet rich in phytosterols helps to control totalcholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in the blood of animals andpeople.

Because of the composition of its sterol-rich unsaponifiables fraction,the refined avocado oil of the present invention can participate toadvantage in controlling cholesterol levels in the blood. Hence, theseproperties render refined avocado oil particularly favorable for use asa food oil or as a food complement. The refined avocado oil of thepresent invention is also advantageously used to treat excess weight orto prevent weight gain.

To this end, the compositions of the present invention may contain, incombination with the refined avocado oil, hypolipemic molecules such asfibrates (fenofibrate: PPAR-alpha agonist), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors(lovastatin, simvastatin). Hypoglycemating plants which may also be usedin the context of the present invention in combination with the refinedavocado oil are advantageously selected from the group constituted byfenugreek (Trigonella graenum), corosolic acid (active compound inleaves from the tree Lagestroemia speciosa), Gymnema syllvestre, balsamapple fruit juice (Momordica charantia), eucalyptus (Eucalyptusglobulus), Panax ginseng, or bilberry leaves (Vaccinum myrtillus).

The refined avocado oil or the compositions of the present invention mayalso be used as medication for a variety of therapeutic applications.The refined avocado oil advantageously plays an essential role in theprevention or treatment of cardiovascular diseases or in the control ofblood cholesterol levels. The refined avocado oil of the invention mayalso be used to treat obesity or diabetes.

In the context of cardiovascular disease, the refined avocado oil may beused in combination with anti-diabetic treatments such as oral diabetestreatments. Insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes may be mentioned and/orvarious treatments such as glucose captors and an artificial pancreas.An example of an oral diabetes treatment which may be mentioned is thestimulation of insulin secretion (hypoglycemiating sulfamide or the like(tolbutamide, carbutamide, glicazide, glimepiride, glipizide), ametformin derivative (benfluorex), alpha-glucosidase inhibition(acarbosis and miglitol), the treatment of insulin resistance(thiazolidinediones (or glitazone), such as rosiglitazone andpioglitazone), or treatments for obesity such as serotonin reuptakeinhibitors (sibutramin), lipid digestion inhibitors (orlistat), agonistsfor the adrenergic beta 3 receptor (augmentation of lipolysis andthermogenesis), augmentation of the peripheral use of glucose byreducing fatty acid oxidation), or insulin secretion with GP1,pramlintide, IGF1 and vanadium derivatives, or glinides.

In the context of the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, the refinedavocado oil may be used in combination with anti-obesity treatments. Theanti-obesity treatments which may be used in the context of the presentinvention in combination with the refined avocado oil are advantageouslyselected from the group constituted by orlistat (Xenical®) andsibutramin (Reductyl® or Sibutral®).

Anti-fat nutrients which may be used in the context of the presentinvention in combination with the refined avocado oil, advantageouslywith a synergistic effect, are advantageously selected from the groupconstituted by nutrients which block fat absorption, such as chitosan,which is a fiber extracted from crustacean exoskeletons, nutrients whichare capable of augmenting thermogenesis (“fat burners”) such as ephedrin(the Chinese herb Ma Huang), caffeine, theine and the citrus aurantium,CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, preferably from safflower), omega 3-richfish oils, cactus palm lipid captors, dry extracts of nutrients capableof regulating the appetite (“hunger busters”) such as L-phenylalanineand L-tyrosine, nutrients capable of regulating glycemia, such asminerals, for example chromium or vanadium or magnesium, or theayurvedic herb Gymnema sylvestre, lipogenesis inhibitors, such ashydroxycitric acid extracted from Garcinia cambodgia and nutrientscapable of transporting fat, such as L-carnitine.

The refined avocado oil or compositions of the present invention mayalso be used as medication intended for tissue repair, or for thetreatment of skin inflammation or irritation of the skin, body hair ormucosae, in particular for the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, pruritis,ichthyosis, acne, xerosis, atopical dermatitis, atopic skin, or allergicskin.

The refined avocado oil or compositions of the present invention mayalso be used as a medication in rheumatological or dental applications,possibly in combination with a treatment via bone substitutes.

The term “bone substitutes” means, for example, calcium phosphateceramics, injectable ionic cements, composite materials, bonesubstitutes of animal origin, or derived from coral. Said compounds areadvantageously used in the following applications: reconstruction ofloss of bony substance after a complete hip replacement, augmentation ofalveolar crest, periodontal fillings, compressive cervical foraminotomy,posterior cervical and vertebral arthrodesis, mastoid filling, repair tothe anterior base of the cranium, filling zones from which iliac bonegrafts have been taken, correcting facial bone contours, fillingtraumatic bone cavities and fractures of the long bones of the lowermembers.

In particular, the refined avocado oil or compositions of the presentinvention mnay also be used to treat and/or prevent joint diseases, suchas arthritis, or periodontal diseases such as gingivitis orperiodontitis.

In the context of dental applications, the refined avocado oil may beassociated with antibiotics, anti-plaque agents, MMP inhibitors oranti-inflammatories.

The refined avocado oil of the invention may advantageously be used incombination with peptide extracts of avocado and/or avocado sugars, orwith cutaneous and buccal antibacterials such as cathelicidins anddefensins, in particular human cathelicidin, α-defensins, β-defensins,in particular hBD-1, hBD-2, hBD-3, and hBD-4, or other peptides andproteins such as adrenomedullin, cystatin or the elastase-specificinhibitor, more particularly elafin (SKALP).

The avocado peptide extract which may be used in combination with therefined avocado oil of the invention typically contains 2% to 10% byweight of alpha-amino nitrogen relative to the dry matter weight of thepeptide extract.

The avocado peptide extract may be obtained by a process comprising thefollowing steps:

producing an avocado press cake, advantageously from avocado fruit, bydrying then extracting with oil; then

cryogrinding and complete delipidization of said press cake followed bydecanting, centrifuging, and cake recovery; then

a first hydrolysis in the presence of glucanases, followed bycentrifuging and eliminating the soluble fraction;

a second hydrolysis in the presence of one or more proteases, followedby centrifuging and eliminating the residue; then

concentrating the peptide phase by nanofiltration and, if necessary,decolorization in the presence of activated charcoal; then

simple filtration (10 μm (micrometers)) followed by ultrafiltration(cutoff threshold 10 kD (kilodaltons)); finally

if appropriate, adding preservative, final sterilizing microfiltration(0.2 μm) and packaging.

Advantageously, the avocado peptide extract has the following amino acidcontent, as a percentage by weight relative to the total weight of aminoacids: Alanine 6.4-7.8 Arginine 4.7-5.7 Aspartic acid 10.3-12.7Cystine-cysteine 2.9-3.5 Glutamic acid 13.0-15.8 Glycine 5.3-6.5Histidine 2.2-2.6 Isoleucine 4.8-5.8 Leucine 7.6-9.4 Lysine 3.0-3.8Methionine 1.2-1.6 Phenylalanine 4.7-5.7 Proline 4.1-5.2 Serine 5.5-6.7Threonine 4.6-5.6 Tyrosine 3.6-4.4 Valine 5.8-7.2

Typically, the compositions of the invention contain the refined avocadooil as well as 0.1% to 20% dry weight of avocado peptide extractrelative to the total composition weight.

The avocado sugars extract which may be used in combination with therefined avocado oil of the invention is typically a hydrosdluble extractof avocado sugars and advantageously contains D-mannoheptulose and/orperseitol.

In an advantageous variation of the invention, the composition comprisesthe refined avocado oil of the invention in combination withD-mannoheptulose and/or perseitol (C7 sugars) or a chemical derivativethereof. The composition advantageously has a 0.1% to 30% dry weightavocado sugar content relative to the total composition weight.

The hydrosoluble avocado sugars extract is obtainable by a processcomprising the following steps in succession:

obtaining an avocado press cake, advantageously from the fruit of theavocado, by drying avocado then extracting lipids (oil); then

cryogrinding and complete delipidation of said press cake then decantingand centrifuging to recover a soluble fraction which is rich in C7sugars (elimination of cake);

demineralizing said soluble fraction obtained in the preceding step onionic resin; then

ultrafiltration at 10000 daltons;

if appropriate, concentration by vacuum evaporation, addingpreservative, sterilization by microfiltration (0.2 μm), and packaging.

The refined avocado oil or compositions of the present invention mayalso be used in cosmetic compositions intended to treat, repair, orprotect the skin or dry mucosae, as well as dry or dull hair. The oil orcompositions of the present invention may also be used for the cosmetictreatment of problems linked to ageing of the skin, the near mucosaeand/or hair or nails, for the treatment of skin problems, the closemucosae and/or hair or nails resulting from exposure to actinicradiation, in particular UV radiation, for the treatment of problems ofthe skin, the near mucosae and/or hair or nails resulting from exogenicstress (pollution etc) or endogenic stress, or as softening agents,regenerating agents, or strengthening agents for the hair.

The compositions of the present invention may, for example, containcosmetically or pharmaceutically acceptable excipients as well asconventional cosmetic additives, in particular organic or mineralUVB/UVA filters, antioxidants, free radical scavengers, irradiated cellprotectors, natural or synthetic substances capable of stimulating thesynthesis of cutaneous lipids, or anti-ageing agents which are known tothe skilled person (retinoids, vitamins, etc).

The following examples are given by way of non limiting illustration ofthe present invention. All the percentages indicated are percentages byweight.

EXAMPLE 1

Starting material: This was constituted by fresh avocados of the Fuertévariety, of South African origin. The average amount of oil in the freshavocados was 16% by weight.

Drying the fruit: 20 kilograms (kg) of whole fresh avocado was slicedinto 2 millimeters (mm) to 50 mm slices using a disk knife anddistributed into trays at a thickness of 4 centimeters (cm) to 5 cm.Drying was carried out in a heat-regulated oven at a temperature of 70°C. for 48 h. The dried fruit was then ground in a roller grinder. Theweight of dried fruit recovered was 5.56 kg, i.e. 27.8% of the startingmaterial.

Oil extraction: This operation was carried out in a Komet typelaboratory press. The extracted oil was filtered through a Buchner flaskthen stored under nitrogen away from light and moisture. 1750 g ofunrefined avocado oil was extracted, i.e. 31.5% of the dried fruitemployed.

The unrefined oil obtained was separated into two portions to carry outtwo comparative refining tests.

a) Process Including a Molecular Distillation Step:

Fractioning/concentration: The concentration step was carried out usinga Leybold KDL 4 type wiped film molecular distiller. The temperature wasfixed at 230° C. and the vacuum at 10⁻³ mmHg. The yield of distillatefrom this operation was 10.4% and the heavy fraction represented 89.6%of the unrefined oil employed.

Heavy fraction refining: 200 g of the heavy fraction of the unrefinedavocado oil was heated to 76° C. in a 500 ml conical reactor withstirring, then 0.05% of phosphoric acid was added. Contact wasmaintained for 45 minutes, with stirring. A sodium hydroxide solutionwas added, and stirring was maintained until soap formation wascomplete. The lower phase containing the soaps was then withdrawn afterdecanting. The upper organic phase was washed with water to neutral pH.After drying under vacuum at 90° C., 3% of Norit SA4 charcoal and 5% ofdecolorizing earth were added and contact was maintained for ½ hour withstirring. The mixture was then filtered. The decolorized avocado oil wassteadily chilled with gentle stirring to a temperature of 12° C. The oilwas maintained at this temperature for 48 h, and filtered underpressure. The decolorized and winterized avocado oil then underwentdeodorization at 180° C. at 4 mbars (millibars). The vapor was injectedinto the oil at a rate of 0.4 l/min (liters/min) for 4 h. After dryingand cooling, refined avocado oil was obtained.

Storage: The refined avocado oil (152 g) was then stored in an inert gasaway from light and moisture.

Analysis:

Density: 0.914

Refractive index: 1.471

Acid value: 0.1 mg of KOH/g

Peroxide index: 0.2 meq/kg (milli-equivalents/kg)

Cold behavior: clear after 2 h at −5° C.

Gardner color: 2.9

Unsaponifiables content: 0.6%

Fatty Acid Composition:

-   -   palmitic acid: 16%    -   palmitoleic acid: 7.2%    -   oleic acid: 60%    -   linoleic acid: 15.2%    -   linolenic acid: 0.5%    -   arachidic acid: 0.3%

Persin: not detected

Avocado furanic lipids: not detected

Composition of Unsaponifiable Fraction:

Sterols content: 52.9 g/100 g of unsaponifiable fraction

Squalene content: 0.32 g/100 g of unsaponifiable fraction

Relative Sterol Composition:

Campesterol: 4.6%

Stigmasterol: 1.67%

Beta sitosterol: 48.96%

b) Process not Including a Molecular Distillation step

Refining unrefined avocado oil: 200 g of the unrefined avocado oil washeated to 76° C. in a 500 milliliters (mL) conical reactor withstirring, then 0.05% of phosphoric acid was added. Contact wasmaintained for 45 minutes, with stirring. A sodium hydroxide solutionwas added, and stirring was maintained until soap formation wascomplete. The lower phase containing the soaps was then withdrawn afterdecanting. The upper organic phase was washed with water to neutral pH.After drying under vacuum at 90° C., 3% of Norit SA4 charcoal and 5% ofdecolorizing earth were added and contact was maintained for ½ hour withstirring. The mixture was then filtered. The decolorized avocado oil wassteadily chilled with gentle stirring to a temperature of 12° C. The oilwas maintained at this temperature for 48 h, and filtered underpressure.

The decolorized and winterized avocado oil then underwent deodorizationat 180° C. at 4 mbars. The vapor was injected into the oil at a rate of0.4 L/min (liters/min) for 4 h. After drying and cooling, refinedavocado oil was obtained.

Storage: The refined avocado oil (170 g) was then stored in an inert gasaway from light and moisture.

Analysis:

Gardner color: 9.0

Unsaponifiables content: 4.42%

Fatty Acid Composition:

-   -   palmitic acid: 20.9%    -   palmitoleic acid: 8.8%    -   oleic acid: 58.4%    -   linoleic acid: 10.4%    -   linolenic acid: 0.6%    -   arachidic acid: 0.2%

Acetogenins: 400 ppm

Avocado furanic lipids: 2.25 g/100 g

Composition of Unsaponifiable Fraction:

Sterols content: 14.1 g/100 g of unsaponifiable fraction

Squalene content: 3.11 g/100 g of unsaponifiable fraction

Relative Sterol Composition:

Campesterol: 8.19%

Stigmasterol: 14.94%

Beta sitosterol: 40.42%

It can thus be seen that the process of the present invention,comprising a molecular distillation step in particular, can produce anoil which is substantially free of acetogenins and furanic lipids andwhich is much easier to decolorize.

EXAMPLE 2

Comparative analyses of the glyceride composition of oils obtained bythe process of the invention with oils obtained by a prior art processincluding cold pressure extraction and chemical refining:

Tests 1 and 2 corresponded to two oils of the present invention, usingthe process described in Example 1, starting from two different startingmaterials.

Samples 1 and 2 are samples of commercially available prior art oils.

Comparative analyses of the glyceride composition are shown in Table 1below: TABLE 1 Product Triglycerides Diglycerides Monoglycerides Test 197.43% 2.57% ND Test 2 97.81% 2.19% ND Sample 1 89.04% 3.51% 6.39%Sample 2 89.04% 3.10% 5.20%

These comparative analyses demonstrate the impact of moleculardistillation used to produce test oils 1 and 2 (as described inExample 1) on fractioning avocado oil glycerides. This processdemonstrates the elimination of partial glycerides (mono- anddi-glycerides) and enrichment in triglycerides.

1. A process for producing refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides,comprising the following steps: 1) dehydrating fresh avocados oravocados which have undergone prior transformations, in controlledmanner; 2) extracting oil from the dehydrated fruit; 3) fractioning theoil into its fraction rich in triglycerides; then 4) refining the oilfraction rich in triglycerides.
 2. The process according to claim 1;wherein the dehydratation step 1) is carried out at a temperature in therange −50° C. to 120° C.
 3. The process according to claim 1, whereinthe dehydration step 1) is selected from the group consisting of dryingin a stream of hot air or a controlled atmosphere, drying at atmosphericpressure or under vacuum, in a thick or thin layer, microwave drying,spray drying, freeze drying and osmotic dehydration in solution or inthe solid phase.
 4. The process according to claim 2, wherein thedehydration step 1) consists in drying in ventilated driers, in a thinlayer and in a stream of hot air.
 5. The process according to claim 4,wherein the dehydratation step 1) is carried out at a temperature in therange 70° C. to 80° C. for 8 h to 36 h.
 6. The process according toclaim 1, wherein the extraction step 2) is carried out by cold pressingor using a solvent at low temperature.
 7. The process according toclaims 1, wherein the fractioning step 3) is selected from the groupconsisting of cold crystallization, vacuum distillation, or moleculardistillation.
 8. The process according to claim 7, wherein thefractioning step 3) is molecular distillation which is carried out at atemperature in the range 180° C. to 260° C., maintaining the pressure inthe range 10⁻³ mmHg to 10⁻² mmHg.
 9. The process according to claim 7,wherein the fractioning step 3) is molecular distillation which iscarried out in a device selected from the group consisting ofcentrifugal type molecular distillers and molecular distillers of thewiped film type.
 10. The process according to claim 1, wherein therefining step 4) comprises at least one of the operation selected fromthe group consisting of acid treatment, chemical neutralization,decolorization, winterizing, and deodorization.
 11. The processaccording to claim 10, wherein the refining step 4) comprises at leastone winterizing which is carried out at a temperature in the range 5° C.to 18° C.
 12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the winterizingis carried out for 1 day to 15 days.
 13. The process according to claim10, wherein the refining step 4) comprises at least one deodorizationstep which is carried out at a temperature in the range 150° C. to 210°C.
 14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the deodorization stepis carried out under vacuum, in a stream of saturated vapor or in streamof nitrogen.
 15. A refined avocado oil which is rich in triglycerides,obtainable by the process according to claim 1, containing anunsaponifiable fraction which is rich in sterols.
 16. The refinedavocado oil rich in triglycerides according to claim 15, wherein itsunsaponifiable fraction contains at least 40% by weight of sterols. 17.The refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides according to claim 15,wherein its insaponifiable fraction contains between 45% and 70% byweight of sterols relative to the total weight of unsaponifiables. 18.The refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides according to claim 15,containing at most 100 ppm of acetogenins and at most 500 ppm of furaniclipids relative to the total weight of oil.
 19. A composition containingthe refined avocado oil rich in triglycerides according to claim
 15. 20.The composition according to claim 19, containing the refined avocadooil rich in triglycerides at a concentration in the range 5% to 95% byweight relative to the total composition weight.
 21. The compositionaccording to claim 19, further comprising at least one compound selectedfrom the group consisting of vegetable oils, vegetable oilunsaponifiables, and mixtures thereof.
 22. The composition according toclaim 19 further comprising at least one compound selected from thegroup consisting of amino sugars, glycosaminoglycanes (GAG),glycosaminoglycane analogues, pentosane, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe);adenosine; superoxide dismutase (SOD); L-ergothionine, type IIcollagens, collagen hydrolysates (gelatin), diacerin, arachadonic acid,tetracycline, tetracycline analogues, doxycycline; hydroxyproline andmixtures thereof.
 23. The composition according to claim 22, wherein theamino sugars are glucosamine.
 24. The composition according to claim 22wherein the glycosaminoglycanes are chondroitin sulfate.
 25. A methodfor treating or preventing a disease selected from the group consistingof cardiovascular diseases, articular diseases, rheumatism, periodontaldiseases or inflammations comprising the administration of an effectiveamount of the refined avocado oil according to claim 15 to a patient inneed thereof.
 26. The method according to claim 25, wherein thearticular disease is arthritis.
 27. The method according to claim 25,wherein the periodontal diseases are selected from the group consistingof gingivitis and periodontitis.
 28. A method for treating or preventinga disease selected from the group consisting of cardiovascular diseases,articular diseases, rheumatism, periodontal diseases or inflammationscomprising the administration of an effective amount of the compositionaccording to claim 19 to a patient in need thereof.
 29. The methodaccording to claim 28, wherein the articular disease is arthritis. 30.The method according to claim 28, wherein the periodontal diseases areselected from the group consisting of gingivitis and periodontitis.